5 Habits To Help Not To Loose Stuff In Pro Tools

Naming content helps to stop the needle in a haystack challenge, so build naming and re-naming tracks, content, inputs, outputs and busses into your workflow so it becomes second nature.

Always name your tracks. It helps to keep track of what goes where and also helps to name files and regions more clearly as Pro Tools default region names are based on the track name.

Always always name your regions as soon as you finish recording them and before you start editing it as youcan’t rename a file once you have started editing it. You can’t rename a region whilst it is recording, however you can rename it whilst you are recording the next one!

Use I/O Settings so your inputs, outputs & busses are labelled with something useful. so you don’t have to remember that Input 10 is the snare bottom mic for example.

Use consistent naming policies. In post work I use prefixes like ‘mus’ for any music track, ‘fx’ for any sound effects, all interviews are named with the interviewees surname. In music label your tracks the same way, so always use Kick for the kick drum don’t use Bass drum sometimes, and Kick another time.

Don’t rename or move stuff outside Pro Tools. If you do it will confuse Pro Tools and you will end up with missing files that PT may or may not be able to find.

Trust me you won’t regret it. Well labelled and named sessions speed up your workflow and when you want to find a particular file then it is so much easier because you named it sensibly.